Accelerating use of nuclear, solar energy key for India's growth: Anil Kakodkar

NEW DELHI: Former Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar today said that for enhancing economic growth, India must accelerate its efforts to harness solar and nuclear energy while pursuing environmentally friendly policies.

"While we pursue environmentally benign policies, how do we enhance our GDP? If we want to do that, I have been convinced for some time, we must accelerate solar and nuclear energy in the Indian context," he said while during a panel discussion on 'Climate Risk and Security' organised by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW).

He said that in the coming decades, action should be taken to ensure rapid growth of GDP while following sound environmental policies.

"There should also be rapid development in science and technology solutions to a variety of things. Not just in terms of adoption or mitigation, but addressing the global warming problem itself," he said.

Noting that despite ongoing talks about various geo- engineering solutions, there were apprehensions about their uncertainties and risks, he said it is important that definitive answers in terms of solutions are found in the next few decades not with significant uncertainties attached but in a manner where these can be implemented without too much risk.

"It is essential there is global effort and ability to find such solutions but there should be global understanding. Everybody should be convinced that implementing such solutions is risk free," he said.

Noting that climate risk is important to understand for countries like India, where both developmental deficits and aspirations are very large, he said that the country must aim to accelerate its development, which would in turn increase its ability to mitigate and adapt to climate change better.

"India is the largest part of the world civilisation with maximum developmental deficit... (be it) in terms of energy or any other parameter," he said.

Noting that the climate issue is global and one has to worry about rising seas, floods, shrinking landmass and migration, he said that all of it calls urgently for united action.